A SCOTTISH-BASED tech company looks to create a world-first production line with its breakthrough graphene product, following more than £3 million of investments.
From its base in Stirling, Integrated Graphene has developed an innovative manufacturing process that enables them to produce high performing, pure, 3D graphene (3DG) foam directly onto any surface, at room temperature and in seconds.
Graphene is said to be 100-times stronger than steel, very light, extremely flexible and a highly efficient conductor of electricity. Its properties have the potential to improve a wide range of applications including diagnostics, power storage, electronics, solar power (photovoltaics) and water filtration.
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Existing manufacturing methods make 3DG very expensive to produce in large quantities and quality has been an issue.
The firm believes its unique process to create high quality, cost effective and production scale 3DG foam will meet the key requirements of a worldwide graphene market, estimated to be worth more than £1.2 billion by 2025, growing to as much as £4.5bn by 2030.
3DG foam is deemed to be the most desired and application-diverse form of graphene, due to its porous, large, electrochemically active surface area that enables a big improvement in a wide range of applications.
The £3.1m investment was led by Archangels and included funding from Par Equity, Techstart Ventures and ESM Investments and a number of seed investors.
The cash will fund equipment to demonstrate performance at the next level and to significantly expand resource for commercialisation of its 3DG foam, Gii.
Claus Marquordt, co-founder & CEO of Integrated Graphene, said: “We are very pleased to have the continued support of our seed investors who have helped us shape and scale this revolutionary business from an idea to commercial launch ready. With this latest round of investment, we are scaling up commercialisation and production of Gii. We have now successfully launched our first product, Gii-Sens, into our beachhead market of human diagnostic biosensors. Ultimately, this funding round will enable us to capitalise on being first to market world-wide with high performing, cost effective, application-specific 3D Graphene Foam, enabling better products.”
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Marco Caffio, co-founder & CSO of Integrated Graphene, said: “We invented our process by focusing on answering the question of how to obtain the desired performance of 3DG foam within applications at commercial scale and without cost barriers. By maintaining a design-for-manufacture focus from day one, we have achieved this. It is our vision to enable disruptive product innovators across industry to access our Gii technology to enable better products.
He added that Gii-Sens and development services are already "helping diagnostic manufacturers translate their tests from the laboratory to the point of need.”
Niki McKenzie, joint managing director at Archangels, said: “The mass production of high-quality graphene at a commercially attractive price has long been seen as the holy grail in this sector and Integrated Graphene has the potential to lead the world in this arena. We are confident that, with supportive shareholders, the business can take the next step in its ambition to scale up its manufacture of this invaluable material.”
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